


Meeting the Party

by MercurialComet



Series: That one universe where Beau got a babysitter worse than her [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Rewrite, Drugs, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Gen, Missing Scene, That's what caused this to go to mature, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, nonbinary molly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 13:10:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13904682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercurialComet/pseuds/MercurialComet
Summary: Argus starts his job.





	Meeting the Party

**Author's Note:**

> Oh boy, /that/ scene.

Argus was bored. He had staked out the inn and found that it had a tavern, deciding to take a seat in the corner and people-watch throughout the morning before Beauregard came down and he could take more notes on her and her traveling party.

 

He noticed at least five people with valuables in easy to pick locations before a big group of people came down, Beauregard hidden among them slightly until they sat down at the table next to him. After a bit of time to avoid suspicion (he didn’t wait that long because these people have no sense of awareness) he listened in on their conversation.

“Hey Jester-” A blue tiefling whipped her head around to the monk. “Do you have a bandage?”

 

Jester smiled, but it was an obvious, “This is the obvious choice and you went with it you fool”, type of smile. “Oh yes, of course I do!” she exclaimed happily. “I have a lot of bandages because I am the cleric.” 

 

“You are.” Beauregard agreed, a half-orc next to her pointing at her wrist and saying, “I don’t know if the bone’s suppose’ to be stickin’ out of that part.”

 

_ Ok, dirty human guy with red hair, something small, tiefling cleric, half-orc with a sword- that’s a falchion- on his back, purple tiefling, and is that an aasimar? _ Argus’ cold reading of the group was very rushed as he both tried to get solid glances, and stay in the background.

 

“I might’ve been accepted into, like, a secret society.”  _ Oh please tell me she isn’t-  _ “It’s kind of secret society business it’s hard to talk about.”  _ Fucking Pelor. _

 

“Are you allowed to talk about it?” Jester queried, smiling over her food. Before Beauregard had the chance to talk, she interrupted, “Tell us about it!”

 

Beauregard smiled as she leaned forward. “Okay! There were these monks, I thought they hated me, it turns out they like me, turns out they want me to become a part of their gang, but it’s not really real, and they’re just like, ‘Keep doing your thing! But like, you’re against injustice and seek out truth and break systems!”

 

He had to give it to her, she at least made it sound more entertaining than Dairon did.

 

Jester gasped. “You are a hero!” Argus made a mental note that she was guillibe for later use.

 

After the red-haired guy says something that he’s pretty sure is a sex joke, but he can’t really pick up on it, the purple tiefling spoke, declaring, “You know, if the monks beat you up to make them join your gang, they’re not really your friends.” And it was at that moment Argus was glad that at least one person with common sense was hanging around this woman.

 

“And this woman-” he picks himself back into the conversation as the half-orc speaks. “She was with the feller you left with last night?”  _ Fisherman, he grew up by the sea a lot, that accent gives him away. _

 

“She was.” Beauregard relented. “His name was Zeenoth. He’s an archivist of the Cobalt Reserve-” Ok if she was just going to give them information, than Argus thought that he might want to step in pretty soon before she says everything.

 

Still listening on, he heard the conversation shift to what the errands of the day were and he stopped keeping such a fine-tuned ear on the group, instead relaxing to see if he could catch any names.

 

All he caught was that the small person (halfling maybe?) was named Nott, the group was going to meet at the now-closed circus, and the redhead and halfling ran off. Overhearing the group talk about going to the store to get a map. Recognizing the directions to the general store, he quickly got up and left, making sure to keep the hood of his cloak up as he did so.

* * *

 

Entering the store, his attention immediately jumped to Jester moving around and rearranging everything, the group looking on in earnest.  _ Well, if everything’s gonna be out of order anyway… _

Argus smirked as he went around a few shelves, first pocketing a small vial of acid off of a display meant for packages of ball bearings and calligraphy supplies placed where caltrops were, placing them into his bag.

 

He turned and noticed the two tieflings and Beauregard looking at him. He shrugged, giving off an air of, “What’s a man to do?” before he turned and went down the only aisle of the store. On his way down the aisle, he picks up a few sets of travel clothes, a set of the finer stuff, a disguise kit, an entertainer’s pack, a set of ball bearings and caltrops, and a new backpack to put all of his ill-gotten gains.

 

But the big piece of this haul, the defining item, was the crowbar that found its way into his pack with a smirk. That was going to come in useful later, the crowbar looked like it was worth the seven gold that price tag claimed it to be.

 

Turning back to keep an eye on his charge, he noticed the big group fawning over a rather large map. He could hear Jester’s voice as she was loudly talking about where she wanted to go to.

 

“Okay, we are definitely going to visit this place called Hupperdook!” The group burst into laughter and Argus smiled as he kept an eye on them and their surroundings.  _ Half-orc wants to dabble in some arcane talents, Jester is obviously some sort of stealthy cleric, and the storefront seems nice. _

 

As the group left, Argus counted to seven before he nodded at the store keepers, saying “I couldn’t find anything, your store is like a maze.” as he walked out.

* * *

 

He followed the group outside, immediately getting stopped by Beauregard and the purple tiefling. “Hello? Are you two looking for someone?” he smiled calmly and made to step around the two. Purple shifted to block his path.

 

“Mollymauk Tealeaf. They/them. Molly for short.” Their stance was slightly casual, but defensive, ready to whip out one of the scimitar’s strapped to their waist if they had to.

 

_ Okay, they’re direct and to the point, lies of omission.  _ Argus opened his mouth to respond, but Beauregard beat him to the punch. “What are you doing here Argus?”

 

He didn’t even look at her. “Keeping an eye on my charge. You know, the one for the  _ secret society _ .”

 

Neither of the two looked fazed. “So I did recognize you from the tavern,” Molly stated, smiling that they had pieced the puzzle together. “I thought that your hood looked familiar.”

 

“Didn’t have a change of clothes handy.” Argus admitted.

 

“I bet you have a change of clothes ready now though.” Beauregard spat out. “Honestly, I talk about going against injustice and you’re here stealing?”

 

“Hey, capitalism is a form of injustice.” There was a pause before Beauregard attempted to slap the man, him dodging the strike and Molly holding her back from attempting another one.

 

“Let’s all calm down here, shall we? Now Beau, it’s probably not a good idea to hit your babysitter-” they ignored her sputters of indignance and turned to Argus “-but it’s also probably not a good idea for you to steal things so openly, especially because of those little scales on your face.” The smirk on Argus’ face vanished as he realized that his hood fell down, and he quickly moved to put it back up.

 

“I’m just here to make sure that Beauregard-”

 

“Just call me Beau-”

 

“-whatever her name is, is safe.”

 

Molly looked doubtful. “And the shopping spree you just went on?”

 

“Supplies to make sure I can do my job?” Their eyebrow raised before they sighed and turned around, guiding Argus along by his wrist.

 

“I’ll accept it. Now come along, you need to meet the others.” Beau did a double take.

 

“You’re just gonna introduce him to the group?!”

 

“If he needs to keep an eye on you, it will be easier if he knows the group and becomes a part of it.” they reasoned, leading the trio closer to the three that went ahead, staring at the map. As they got within a few feet, the three could overhear Jester saying, “There’s no way we can buy healing potions in this city.”

 

Argus decided to introduce himself. “I think there’s a natural remedies shop down that way.” The aasimar whipped her head around to face him.

 

“And you are?”

 

“Argus. Argus Sancti.” He had no idea why, but it felt like she was staring into his soul. Beau saved him from the awkwardness of the situation.

 

“He’s my… watcher.” She explained. “From the secret society.”

 

Jester’s eyes lit up. “Oh, the man who was helping me rearrange the store is also a vigilante! That’s neat!” Argus blinked and she seemed to suddenly be right in front of him. “Hello! I’m Jester! That’s Fjord-” she pointed at the half-orc, “ Yasha-” that’s the aasimar, “Molly-” she pointed at Molly, who gave a little wave to add to the fanfare, “and you already know Beau!”

 

“It’s nice to meet you all.” Argus smiled and bowed. “Now, I can lead you to the store if you want?”

 

“Please do, we’re not really used to the area.” Fjord was keeping a critical eye on Argus as he led the way.

* * *

 

Argus walks into the shop behind the group, keeping an eye on the surroundings just in case. He’s jarred out of his watch when he hears quite a familiar voice.  _ No way, Mason is here? I thought he got caught with 2 platinum worth of goods on him. _

 

He only stops not paying attention to the entire store when Fjord nudges him. After nodding to the man, he starts walking around the shop, not stealing anything, but just so he could listen in on the conversation. He picked up Yasha’s voice first.

 

“Do you have a deal, you know, if we got all of them? That seems pretty high.” There’s an awkward pause.  _ She’s fumbling.  _ “Right?”  _ She’s fumbled. _ “That seems pretty high for a healing potion.”

 

There’s a long pause as Argus assumed Mason was giving her a look. “No actually, I think it’s rather standard around these parts.” There was a clinkling of glass. “But I can put them back?”

 

There was an even longer pause before Molly spoke up, their voice both measured and excited. “Healing potions aside, you are doing something really interesting and exciting here. You’re not a healing potion dealer-”  _ No shit. _ “What are you doing here? Like, this is fascinating.”

 

That threw the half-elf. “Oh, I create all sorts of means to tending wounds and traumas-”  _ Also creating them as well, I haven’t forgotten the “bad batch” _ “-to be honest, a lot of people come around here for performance enhancing fungus.”

 

“I don’t know. I feel like you can excite me.” Molly is practically a person possessed and Argus is currently reevaluating his earlier thought of them. “I feel like there’s something you have to show that’s really exciting. I’m not sure it’s entirely about stamina-”  _ Not wrong there. _ ”I think you’ve got something-” The light bulb finally goes off in their head and Argus has to turn around and see them as they gesture, their hands conveying how fast their mind is actually moving. “Talk to me like I’m a child. Show me something I’ve never seen before.”

 

The store is as quiet as a whisper when they finish talking, no one moving until Mason leaned in close and mumbled, “Mind closing the door?” 

 

Molly’s face lit up and they skip over to the door, closing it gently before returning. Mason gave them a look. “You keep curious company.”

 

“Yes, I do.” Molly nodded. “And we’re leaving town today.”

 

“Those are magical words for a man of my business.” Mason moves behind his counter. “Are you a man of skein?”  _ Oh boy. _

 

“I don’t actually know what that is.”

 

“Well,” Mason looks affronted as he goes to get some. Argus takes the time he’s gone and places himself in the middle of the group, and as the store owner returns, he notices the new addition, but doesn’t say anything about him. “This-” he shows the fungus, still inside the small satchel it’s carried in. “is a dried and ground fungus called skein. It’s called skein because when you eat it, you can see the weave of time.” The entire group is looking on in interest. “It’s effective, it’s popular on the outskirts where it’s not so heavily controlled and carries a huge jail time if caught.” He pauses, taking a breath to allow all the information to settle in. “How much are you looking to purchase?”

 

Molly looks into their purse. “I’m not made of money, but I’m always curious for a new experience.”

 

“How do we know it’s good quality though?” Yasha asked, completely blowing Argus’ conception of her out of the water. “Can I give it a sample?” Mason shook his head.

 

“A few experiences worth, what would that run me?” Molly asked.

 

Mason thought for a few moments. “I’ll put you in at a gold an experience, how about that?”

 

Molly nodded and handed over the gold. “All right. Put me in for one, I’ll try anything once.” Mason took the gold and filled the order.

 

Yasha, Beau, and Fjord make orders as well and Mason fills them quickly while Argus’ respect for the group rises. “Anyone else? You want one Argus?”

 

“How do you know him?” Jester asked innocently.

 

“Criminal past. I’ll pass Davies,”  _ Gotta use the professional name still _ “-give them the health potion. 50 gold.”

 

Mason smiles. “Fine, 50 gold.” Fjord pays him and he hands over the potion plus another vial of fungus. “Just for fun.”

 

“Thank ya’ plenty.” Fjord nodded.

 

“I’m looking forward to this.” Molly said. “Hope to see you again.”

 

“I’ll be here.”

  
  


“And of course, we never met you, you never met us-”

 

“Of course not, I don’t know who you are.”

 

Argus steps in, leading the group out. “Bye, remember to send a letter to Alex, they’re worried about you.” The group hears a shout of “Fuck!” as they leave and the door closes behind them.

 

Argus gets a break that lasts all of two seconds before the redhead and halfling from earlier suddenly pop up.  _ At this point, I’m gonna go insane making sure that Beau doesn’t. _

 


End file.
